The Future Is Ours
by southernstarlet93
Summary: He got married, had a baby, and left town. She never expected to see him again. Now fifteen years later, Jason and Elizabeth are brought back into each others' lives when their kids fall in love. Will they get a second chance of their own?
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: This is my first attempt at writing a fan fiction, so please keep that in mind if it isn't that great. I appreciate any reviews!**

"Mom! Have you seen my iPod?", Elizabeth Webber heard her youngest son, Aiden, call from upstairs. A knowing smile crossed her face as she grabbed it from the coffee table and brought it to him.

"No way. How do you do that?", he asked as his stunning blue eyes widened in disbelief. How his mom always knew where to find everything was a mystery to the teenager.

"Magic. You about ready for school? I can drive you today."

He made a face that only Elizabeth would recognize. It was his "No way. That's so embarrassing!" face.

"That's ok. I'm just going to catch a ride with Brennan."

"Ok, well I'll let you get ready then. Tell me before you leave", she instructed him before making her way to the kitchen.

As she drank her daily cup of coffee, Elizabeth could not help but ponder what her life had come to. From a stranger's perspective, she had a great life. She had a job that she loved, she was financially secure, and she had two incredible sons that her world revolved around. But though she tried to conceal it, it was sometimes impossible to mask the emptiness she felt in her heart. The emptiness that only true love could fill.

Maybe if she had never felt love before, she would never miss it. Oh, but she had. Several times over. There had been Lucky, her first real love. He was her hero. The one that would always come to her rescue when she needed him. She loved Lucky. That was never in doubt. But had she ever been in love with him? Maybe. Who could say? He had been out of her life for years anyway, so it really didn't matter. He went to Ireland because he needed to find himself. She supposed he was still looking.

On occasion, he would call or send a postcard. But she hadn't seen him in years. Maybe he had taken after Luke after all. Maybe fatherhood wasn't his thing. You would think that he would have considered that possibility when he decided not to use protection. Not that she regretted Aiden for a single second. He was her whole world. Especially after Cameron had left for medical school. Aiden was pretty much all she had left.

Despite his absentee father, her youngest son had grown into a normal, well-adjusted teenager. She knew he was quite popular at school, but being the quarterback of the football team can do that to you. He had also inherited the Spencer charm that made his grandfather so infamous. Against her better judgment, she had looked through the contacts in his phone once. She had never heard of most of the girls, but apparently Aiden was very cozy with them. Not that she blamed them for going after her son. Even when he was a child, Elizabeth firmly believed she had the cutest kid on the playground. He looked just like her, except that he had Lucky's blue eyes.

These days, her life was devoted to making sure her son had a good life. She worked overtime so he could have all the latest gadgets that teenagers just had to have. She cooked, did the laundry, cleaned, and everything in between. And though Aiden didn't know it yet, he was getting a new car for his birthday in three months. Quite frankly, she was determined to spoil her son rotten while she still had the chance. She didn't want to think about the loneliness that she would feel when he grew up. She would be left alone to think about how she had once had true love, and let it pass her by.

Every once in a while, she would think of him. She would think about the life that they almost had. She had been ready to give her heart to Jason. Not just part of it. All of it. And he had rejected her. But she had never fully lost hope that perhaps one day, things would be different. Maybe he could bring himself to quit the mob. Maybe they would get married and raise Cameron and Jake in a normal, happy family. But things changed and her hopes had faded more and more each day.

She had tried to make it work with Lucky, but it just wouldn't. She just wasn't happy. She had even had an affair with his brother. Then, she gave birth to Aiden thinking that he was Nikolas' only to find out later that he was really Lucky's. In the meantime, Jason had married Sam. She tried to be happy for him. But deep down, Elizabeth could not see what Jason saw in her. After everything that woman had done, and he still married her. She had always wondered what she had done wrong that Sam had done right. Why he felt like it was ok to bring a child into the world with her when he had walked away from Jake. Not that it mattered anymore. Jake was gone. She had come to terms with that, though it didn't make it hurt any less.

"Mom, I'm leaving", Aiden informed her as he made his way into the kitchen. She stood up and wrapped her arms around him for what was longer than it seemed.

"Mom…I got to go", he said as he pulled away.

"I know. I love you, baby."

"Love you too", he smiled as he left the room.

And then she was alone again. She wished she could go to work, but Steven had insisted that she take a couple days off for herself. But that was probably the worst thing she could do. Thinking was the worst thing she could do. That was when the pain came. That was when thoughts of Jake would creep into her head. When memories of the love she had shared with Jason would cross her mind. She knew it was pointless to think about him. He was gone. Out of her life for good.

Little did Elizabeth know that Aiden was about to have an encounter that would change everything.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Glad you guys like this story so far! This chapter doesn't have Jason or Liz in it, but I promise they will both be in the next one!**

Aiden Spencer had hated history as long as he could remember. What was the purpose of it anyway? Why did teachers feel the need to rehash the same stuff over and over again every year? It was almost impossible to pay attention. And he considered himself to be pretty smart. Definitely no genius, but not dumb either. That is how he managed to pass most of these pointless tests. But most days, he would find himself drifting off. His body was there, but his mind was somewhere completely different.

On some days, he would be thinking about what kind of trouble he and his friends would manage to get themselves into over the weekend. Other days, he would be thinking about the big game on Friday night. Being a sixteen-year-old boy, girls were a topic that also crossed his mind pretty regularly. Then, there were those times when he would find himself wondering what he had done wrong. Wondering why his father didn't want him.

He knew everything there was to know about Lucky Spencer. Apparently, everyone loved him. He was an upstanding guy and had a heart of gold, according to his grandpa, Luke. Luke was the only member of the Spencers that had even attempted to have a relationship with Aiden. He had gotten the impression long ago that Lucky was Luke's "favorite" child. But if his dad was so amazing, why had he never bothered to come visit his only son? Thinking of Lucky made Aiden feel angry and hurt at the same time. Without his mom, he didn't know what he would do.

Aiden was sure that he had the greatest mom in the world. He could not think of a single moment in his life when she put herself before him or Cameron. They were always her first priority. At times, he had felt guilty that his mother didn't have a social life. Like maybe he was the reason. There were a couple guys who would take her to dinner every once in a while, but never anything serious. He had often wondered why she was so afraid to fall in love. Had his father hurt her that badly?

"Aiden?", he heard Mrs. Williams annoyed voice command him back to reality.

"I'm sorry. What?"

"Have you been paying the least bit of attention?", she demanded as the bell rang.

"Saved by the bell", he whispered gratefully before getting out of there as quickly as he could. While walking out into the crowded hallway, he felt himself violently collide with someone who was apparently walking as fast as he was. Notebooks and papers went flying onto the floor.

"Oh, I'm so sorry", he quickly apologized as he and the unfamiliar blonde both bent down to pick up their things.

"No, I am. I totally wasn't paying attention to where I was going. I'm new here", she explained as they both stood up.

"I didn't think I had seen you don't usually see new people transfer right before school's out. Anyway, I'm Aiden Spencer. It's nice to meet you", he smiled as he stared into her baby blue eyes for the first time.

"Marissa Morgan. It's nice to meet you too", she said shyly.

"Marissa. So, did you just move here?", he asked curiously as they walked outside where everyone was gathered for the brief break they were allowed.

"Yeah. Well, I was born here actually. But my parents moved to California when I was a baby. But I guess it wasn't meant to be, so they divorced and I moved back here with my dad."

"Sorry about the divorce. That must have been hard for you", he said sincerely.

"It sucks, but I mean it happens all the time. It isn't like I'm the only one whose mom and dad didn't want to stay together", she shrugged.

"Yeah, I know how that feels. I mean my parents aren't divorced or anything. Well, actually they are. But they were married and divorced way before I was born. Wow, this sounds pretty bad, doesn't it?"

"Hey, we can't help the things our parents do. They still get along, don't they?"

"I don't know. My dad left when I was really little and I haven't seen him since. He still calls sometimes like Christmas or my birthday, but I don't really know him that well", Aiden admitted.

"That's horrible. You don't have a step dad or anything?", Marissa wondered.

"No. I think my mom has just totally abandoned the whole concept of love. I wish I could help her. But I guess when your heart has been broken so badly…"

"It can't be repaired", she finished exactly what he was thinking.

"I'm sorry. I barely know you and I'm just burdening you with all my problems", he said with a slight laugh.

"It's ok. If you ever need to talk to someone, I'm totally there. And you're pretty much the only person at this school that I know", she added.

"Not for long. I'm sure a girl as pretty as you won't have any trouble making friends."

Marissa felt herself blush at the compliment. She started to speak when they were approached by two tall athletic-looking guys. One had blond hair like her own. The other's was jet black. They were both attractive, though not even close to Aiden.

"Hey man. Who is this lovely lady?", the dark-haired one asked Aiden with a teasing grin.

"This is Marissa Morgan. Marissa, these guys are my friends. Brennan Paulk and Miles Dixon", he introduced them.

"Hi. It's nice to meet you", she said quietly as the bell rang.

"Wonderful. You would think they would give us a longer break", Brennan complained before walking off with Miles.

"Yeah. So, I guess I'll see you around", Aiden smiled at Marissa.

"Ok", she said softly as she watched him walk away.

Marissa went on to her next class, but she wasn't really there. At least her mind wasn't. She kept replaying her conversation with Aiden over and over again in her head. She didn't even know him and yet he had opened up to her so completely. She felt horrible for everything he must have gone through. She couldn't imagine what life would be without her own dad.

He was the best father that she could have ever asked for. He had been living in a toxic marriage for years, and still put up with her mother's crap for Marissa's sake. He had tried so hard to make that marriage work. But the love had just gone away. Or maybe it was never really there to start with. Marissa didn't know. She had often wondered what it would be like to be a part of a real family. A family who just simply loved each other. While both of her parents loved her, they fought with each other constantly. And then one day, her father couldn't take it anymore and moved out.

When it became clear that she would have to choose which parent she wanted to live with, she knew right away that she was going to choose her dad. Marissa had always been closer to her father, even as a child. It wasn't that she didn't love her mother. She did, though she found her to be quite annoying at times. But she couldn't imagine life without her father. So, she left her old life behind and made the move to Port Charles. She was suddenly more sure than ever that she had done the right thing.


	3. Chapter 3

Later that day, Marissa made her way into the penthouse that her father had been living in for years before they had made the move to California. She let out a tired sigh and plopped down on the sofa turning the TV on.

"It's about time my beautiful granddaughter came home", a familiar voice spoke causing her to turn her head in surprise.

"Grandma! I didn't know you were here!", Marissa gasped as she ran to hug Monica.

"Oh! Hi, sweetheart. It's so good to see you", her grandmother said happily.

"When did you get here?", she wondered.

"I've been here for awhile. I thought your father could use some help unpacking."

"That's true. And maybe he'll let you help decorate. If Dad gets his way, this place is going to be looking like a total man cave. There is like no color going on", Marissa pointed out.

"Well, I would rather have no color than everything be hot pink", Jason spoke up as he came downstairs.

"I didn't say everything had to be hot pink. But we could have a little bit of color."

"Come on, Jason. Why don't you let Marissa and me put a couple new things here and there. Nothing loud. Just to brighten the place up a bit", Monica suggested.

"I don't know…"

"Please, Daddy", Marissa implored as she gave him that look that he absolutely could not say no to.

"Ok…just please don't come up with anything too crazy", he gave in. But he had a sinking feeling that he would regret letting his mother and daughter decorate the place.

"How about we go shopping tomorrow?", Monica suggested.

"Sounds good to me", Marissa agreed.

"So, how was the first day?", Jason asked his daughter.

"Pretty good considering it was my first day and I didn't know a single person", she answered.

"That's good. First days are always the hardest. But you'll get adjusted soon", Monica assured her.

"Yeah, and I met some nice people. So, I think I'll be ok."

"Any new friends?", Jason asked curiously.

"Actually yeah. There was this one guy…"

"Wait a minute. Guy? Why can't you make friends with girls, Marissa? I don't have the time to be stressed out about you and some boy."

Monica tried to stifle a laugh while Marissa just sighed. She should have known better than to mention a guy around her father.

"Chill out, Dad. Aiden's a really nice guy", she remarked when she noticed the frozen look on her father's face. Jason felt his body go numb. It couldn't be, could it?

"Aiden?" he and Monica repeated in unison as they exchanged a knowing glance.

"Uh…do you know Aiden's last name, sweetheart?", Monica enquired.

"Spencer. Why? You don't know him, do you?"

"Not personally, but we're very familiar with his family. That's all.", Jason answered.

So, Elizabeth was still here. After all this time. He was sure she had moved on by now. Especially since Lucky was no longer in town. Or maybe he was back now. Jason wished he didn't have so much to catch up on. He wanted to go see her. It was impossible to count the number of times she had crossed his mind while he was gone. But he had made the decision to marry Sam. He had to live with the consequences.

But Marissa had made his miserable marriage worth it. His daughter had been the reason he woke up every morning. She still was. He had dedicated himself to being the best father he could possibly be to Marissa. She was his second chance. He had failed so horribly with Jake. He would not make the same mistakes twice. Still, he always felt like something was missing. Not just Jake, but Elizabeth as well. He wondered about her many times through the years. Was she happy? That was all he wanted for her. But he couldn't help but wish that he could be the one to make her happy. That was all in the past though. He had his chance and he blew it.

Elizabeth was sitting on the couch going through the mail when she heard a knock at her door. With a lazy sigh, she got up to answer it.

"Luke?", she said in surprise. "I'm sorry. Aiden isn't home."

"I love my grandson very much, Elizabeth. But I'm here to see you. Can I come in?", he wondered.

"Um…yeah", she agreed as she shut the door behind him. "So, what's going on?"

"Nothing. I just thought I'd come by and check on you. See how you were doing."

"Oh. Well, I'm fine. Why? Did Aiden tell you I wasn't?"

"He may have mentioned that he was concerned about you", Luke remarked.

"Why would he be concerned about me?", Elizabeth enquired.

"I don't want to overstep here. What you choose to do with your life is none of my business. But I do know that burying yourself in your work can't possibly be healthy. And it certainly can't make you happy."

"I don't bury myself in my work!", she said defensively.

"Look, the last thing I want to do is get involved in your business. I know how that feels. Let me just ask you something. What's your reason for waking up each morning?"

"Aiden, of course."

"Ok. So, what's going to be your reason when Aiden goes off to college and moves out? What are you going to have to live for then?", he asked.

"Why do you care so much, Luke?", she snapped. What was he getting at?

"You know I've always considered you a part of my family. I want you to be happy. And you can't have happiness without someone to share it with. I always thought I could. But you just can't be."

"Do you think I like being alone? But there's no point in me going out with guys that I know I don't have a future with. Dating is a waste of time and energy. Especially when you're constantly comparing them to your ex", Elizabeth sighed.

"I've been there too. Laura is always going to be the love of my life. But that doesn't mean that I can't be happy with Tracy. And I can promise you it beats being alone by a mile", Luke pointed out.

"Maybe you're right. Maybe it is about time to put myself out there again", she said thoughtfully.

And she owed that much to herself. Luke was right. She didn't want to spend the rest of her life alone and miserable. Maybe she could be happy again. She doubted that she would ever be able to love anyone the way she loved Jason. That was a once in a lifetime kind of love. One that obviously wasn't meant to be. She supposed it was time to give dating another try. After all, what did she have to lose?


	4. Chapter 4

A couple weeks went by and Marissa began to forget that she was the new girl in school. As she and Aiden grew closer and closer, his friends became her friends. And before she knew it, there were rumors floating around that the two of them were dating. They weren't true, but she couldn't help but be flattered that people thought she was dating the most popular guy in school. Not only was he popular and hot, he was such a good guy. Yes, Marissa was falling hard. She was just too scared to do anything about it.

"So, where is everyone?", she asked as she and Aiden walked up to the theater where they were supposed to be meeting the others.

"I guess they decided not to come", Aiden remarked. What she didn't know was that it was supposed to be just the two of them all along. This was the only way he could get her alone without actually having to build up the courage to ask her out.

"Oh. Well, do you still want to see the movie?"

"We're already here. We might as well", he answered. With that, they got their tickets and walked into the dark theater.

The movie was a chick flick. Sweet and romantic. Aiden felt like going to sleep during the majority of it. About halfway through the movie, he turned to look at Marissa who was wiping her eyes. Apparently, he had missed a sad part. Or a happy part. One thing he had learned over the years was that girls would cry over pretty much anything.

He smiled as he placed his hand over hers. She turned to face him with a surprised expression and she suddenly realized that this was her chance. In one of the rare times Marissa had ever acted on impulse, she pulled Aiden into a kiss that she knew would probably change everything.

"Um…I'm sorry", she breathed as she felt herself blush. It was lucky for her that the theater was dark.

"Don't be. I've wanted to do that ever since I met you", Aiden admitted.

At home, Elizabeth was on her computer browsing on a dating website. She had just set up her profile, but this whole internet dating thing was completely new to her. She never thought she would be resorting to this. She never wanted to. But she didn't want to spend the rest of her life alone. So, she would give this a try.

But after an hour had gone by, she turned the computer off in frustration. This wasn't her. This wasn't what she wanted. Some of these guys may be really great, but she knew that none of them could possibly compare to Jason. He was one in a million. Why couldn't she just forget him? Why couldn't she let herself be happy with someone else? She decided to try the website again tomorrow as she heard the door open.

Marissa was nervous. She couldn't believe how fast this was all going. Her head was spinning, but she was absolutely ecstatic. Aiden was hers. It all felt like a dream…an amazing dream.

"It's ok", he assured her as she reluctantly followed him into the living room. "Mom! Are you here?"

"Yes. What's going on?", Elizabeth enquired as she walked into the room. It didn't take her long to notice the striking blonde standing beside her son. Her eyes shifted to Aiden for an explanation. But she had a feeling that she already knew.

"Mom, this is my girlfriend, Marissa. Marissa, this is my mom", Aiden introduced them.

His girlfriend? Elizabeth's eyes widened though she didn't know why she was surprised. She had been through this before with both of her sons. Neither of them seemed to understand the concept of warning her before they brought a girl home.

"Hi. It's nice to meet you, Ms. Webber", Marissa smiled as she held her hand out to the older woman.

"Uh…you too", Elizabeth replied as she shook her hand. That was when she noticed the girl's eyes. There was something so familiar about them. "I'm sorry. You guys caught me off guard a little bit. What was your name?"

"Marissa Morgan."

Elizabeth's jaw dropped. Morgan? As in Jason? Those eyes…of course! This girl was Jason's daughter!

"Mom, are you ok?", Aiden asked cautiously.

"Yes. Yeah, I'm fine. I just…Marissa, is your father Jason Morgan by any chance?"

"Yeah. How do you know my dad?", she wondered.

"Oh, we're just old friends", Elizabeth answered quietly. She couldn't believe her son was dating Jason's daughter. How was this even possible? Jason was supposed to be on the other side of the country. She wanted to ask more questions, but thought better of it.

"That's so weird. You should come see him sometime", Marissa suggested.

"I should", she said slowly. "So…you two…when did this happen?"

"Today", Aiden grinned as he put his arm around Marissa who was beaming.

"Well, I'm happy for both of you. So, when did your parents come back to Port Charles?", Elizabeth asked with her eyes directed at Marissa.

"Well, I came back with my dad a few weeks ago. My mom's still in California. They're divorced now."

Jason was divorced? For the first time in years, Elizabeth felt a glimmer of hope for her future. Could there still be a chance for them? So much time had gone by. What if they had changed? She didn't think she had. And she couldn't see Jason changing either. But he was a father now. She always thought he would make a great one. Still, becoming a parent changes you. She knew that all too well.

Maybe Marissa had been brought into her son's life to bring Jason back into hers. Or maybe it was all just a huge coincidence. Either way, she had a chance now. A chance to make things right like she should have done all those years ago. Now, she just had to decide if following her heart was worth the risk of rejection. And there was a huge risk involved. But Jason Morgan was worth the gamble.


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: Thanks so much for all the great reviews! You guys are amazing! Now, on to the chapter you've been waiting for. I really worked hard on this chapter, so I hope you guys like it!**

"A boyfriend?", Jason repeated with a stunned expression on his face. Marissa nodded. She knew that her father probably wasn't going to take this very well. But she had to tell him eventually.

"Who is it?", he demanded.

"Aiden."

"Aiden Spencer?", he asked in disbelief. But they were just friends. At least, that was what Marissa had told him.

"Yes", she said quietly.

"No. No, Marissa! You're too young to have a boyfriend!"

"No I'm not! I'm going to be sixteen soon!", Marissa pointed out.

"But you aren't ready for this!", Jason protested.

"Yes I am. Dad, you know I love you. And I respect your opinion more than anyone. But you have to trust me to make my own decisions. You raised me right, you know."

"I tried my best", he sighed. There was no point in arguing with Marissa when he knew that nothing he said was going to change her mind.

"And you did an amazing job. I couldn't have asked for a better dad", she remarked. "I'm actually meeting Aiden at Kelly's in a few minutes, so I should probably go."

"Marissa?", Jason spoke before she walked out the door. She turned to look at him.

"I love you."

"Love you too, Dad", she smiled knowingly as she shut the door behind herself.

Then he was alone. He had a feeling it was something he should start getting used to. His daughter was growing up. What on earth was he going to do when she eventually left? Jason wouldn't even let himself think ahead that far. Marissa still needed him. Even if she didn't realize it. And he wasn't about to let her down. Especially now that she thought she was in love.

Of all the boys that she could have picked, she had to fall for Elizabeth's son. That only complicated things. How could he even dream about a future with her when their kids were together? That just seemed…weird. Why was he even dreaming about a future with her to begin with? She could be married for all he knew. How could a woman as incredible as her not be taken?

Lost in his thoughts, Jason almost didn't notice the slight rapping at the door. With a heavy sigh, he got up and opened it. But he never expected to see her. Still so beautiful. He was almost speechless.

"Elizabeth?"

"Hi, Jason", she breathed. After all these years had passed by, her heart still skipped a beat when she stared into his eyes. Those gorgeous blue eyes. She never thought she would get to look into them again.

"Uh…come in", he finally spoke. She reluctantly followed him inside and he shut the door behind her.

"I bet I'm probably the last person you expected to see", she remarked.

"Yeah. But it's good to see you again. You look great."

"So do you. I heard you were back in town. I had to come see for myself", Elizabeth stated.

"Word travels fast around here, doesn't it? I thought about coming to see you when I got back. I just…", Jason trailed off.

"Oh, moving is stressful. I get it. This place looks a lot different than I remember. More…what's the word I'm looking for?"

"Colorful", he suggested. "That's what happens when you let your mother and daughter decorate your house."

She laughed. He let himself give a slight smile. He had missed that laugh so much. He had missed everything about her.

"So, how is it? Being a dad?", she wondered.

"It's tough, but I wouldn't trade Marissa for anything", he admitted.

"I met her yesterday. She's a beautiful girl. You know, I never pictured you with a daughter. I can't exactly see you playing dress up and setting up tea parties."

"I never pictured that either. It's almost scary the things you'll do for your kids. What about you? How are the boys?", Jason enquired.

"Good. They're doing good. Cameron's in medical school, you know?", Elizabeth informed him.

"Really? Wow. That's amazing."

"Yeah. I'm so proud of him. I miss him though. The selfish part of me can't help but wish he would just come home. Get a job at GH. But I'll support him with whatever he wants to do", she said with a hint of sadness in her voice.

"He's lucky to have such an incredible mother", he said in admiration. "So, what about Aiden? Is he a good kid? I mean…should I be worried about Marissa?"

Elizabeth shifted uncomfortably. This subject was bound to come up eventually. She still wasn't really sure how she felt about it. But this was Jason's daughter. She knew he probably wouldn't be happy about her dating any guy.

"Jason, I realize this is an odd situation. I know you're probably not happy about it. But I raised my son to respect women. I don't think he's going to hurt Marissa."

"I hope you're right", he sighed. "I just don't know if I'm ready to deal with this."

"It hurts to watch your kids grow up. But they have to. All we can do is love them and hope that they make good choices", Elizabeth pointed out.

"They're our kids, Elizabeth. That fact alone dooms them."

"Did you ever tell Marissa about us?", she asked curiously.

"No. What about Aiden? Did you tell him?", Jason wondered.

"No. I think it's probably for the best that they don't find out about everything. It all happened before they were born. And that was so long ago", she remarked.

"Yeah, it was. So, what ever happened with you and Lucky? Did you ever work things out?", he enquired. That wasn't really any of his business, but he just had to know.

"I haven't seen Lucky in years", she said sadly. "I guess he's still in Ireland, but I really don't know."

"He never came back?", he asked with a surprised expression.

"No. I guess he was just tired of dealing with me. Not that I can blame him. When I think of some of the things I did…"

"Hey, everyone makes mistakes. Don't beat yourself up. I can't believe Lucky would just abandon the boys like that. You've been raising them by yourself this whole time?"

She nodded. "I know losing Lucky hurt them, especially Cam. Aiden doesn't even remember him. I'm not really sure which is worse."

"That's his loss", Jason pointed out.

"I know. But it hurts me to see them hurting. They covered it up well, but I could see the pain in their eyes", Elizabeth sighed.

"And you would do anything to make their pain go away", he finished what she was thinking.

"Did Marissa take it hard when you and Sam divorced?", she wondered.

"Not really. It was a bad situation. One that should have been ended a long time ago. Marissa saw that we were both unhappy. It was for the best."

"I just don't understand. You both seemed so happy when you left town. What happened? What changed?"

"We just weren't happy anymore. I really don't know if I ever was. Maybe I just wanted to be. I wanted to love her. I wanted things to work. And they just didn't.", he admitted.

"I'm sorry", she said with sincerity.

"It wasn't meant to be", he said softly as Elizabeth felt her phone vibrate. She pulled her phone out reluctantly and read the text.

"It's the hospital. They need me", she explained as she put the phone back in her purse. "So, I guess I'll see you…around?"

"I'm always around", he said with a slight smile as he watched her leave.


End file.
